(95-97 points) Not yet bottled, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is all very old vine Grenache from the sandy soils of the Cristia lieu-dit. Brought up in demi-muids and a mix of new and used barrels, it gives...

Saturated ruby. Assertively perfumed, mineral-tinged red berry, cherry, lavender and incense scents show outstanding clarity and spicy lift. Concentrated yet lively black raspberry, cherry-cola, succulent herb and floral...

Subtle aromas of lemon rind, herbs, stones and hints of cedar. Medium body with fresh acidity. It has volume and weight on the palate with a well-rounded core of green apples, herbs and dried lemons. Focused and vertical...

This full, fruity wine is packed with acidity as well as ripeness. It has a fresh black-currant character, and the structure underneath is strong. It will develop relatively quickly, but then could hold at its peak for...

Very impressive for a "regular" non-vintage Brut, not only in terms of aromatic complexity - candied citrus, dried peach and fresh mirabelle plus a hint of bread dough - also in terms of texture, the creamy, rich and...

97+ Entirely Pinot Noir, The NV Champagne Blanc de Noirs Les Maillons Extra Brut is based on the 2018 vintage with 60% reserve wine contributing to the blend, and 2.4 grams per liter of dosage. It was aged for 36 months...

A fine, mature and structured Champagne, this is full of fruit but also with a crispness. Its mineral character has softened but still gives a fine texture. This fine wine, with fruit from the Côte des Blancs, is ready to...

(VN 94-96 points) Inky violet. A wild, smoke- and spice-accented bouquet evokes kirsch, cassis, smoked meat, olive and succulent herbs, with mineral and floral notes emerging as the wine opens up. Firm, sharply etched...

Love the perfume and finesse here with fresh flowers, blackberries, crushed stones and cement. Cedar. Full and very long with tight and muscular tannins that go on for minutes. Tight and thoughtful. Soulful. Try after 2030.

(WE94-96 points) Big and powerful this is a wine that is supported by dense tannins. The feeling is dry and firm with a brooding black-currant character.

Gosset is the oldest house in Champagne, and although it's a name that may be unfamiliar to many consumers, it's a favourite among wine trade insiders. This non-vintage cuvée is redolent with the aromas of mellow red...

(93+ points) Seemingly refined by the additional elevage since I reviewed a barrel sample last year, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert remains a big, rich, dark-fruited and almost tarry effort, but this...

A natural-leaning, funky version for fans of the offbeat style. Shows earth and ripe fruit that share the stage with citrus, melon and sugared plum lacquered with salty brine, pickled ginger, warm soil and chamomile...

A vibrant Champagne, finely balanced and lacy in texture, serving as an elegant canvas for layered flavors of yellow peach, chopped almond, cherry, toast point and preserved lemon. Minerally smoke, chalk and spice notes...

The tannins are linear and direct in this otherwise fruity wine. Along with dark tannins, it is also rich with warm red fruits. The acidity still shows strongly and suggests that the wine needs time. Drink from 2020...

(92 - 94 points) Aromas of cassis, plums, orange rind and spicy new oak preface Faiveley's 2019 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Damodes, a medium to full-bodied, deep and lively wine with a concentrated core of fruit...

The wonderful red-cherry fruit with hints of redcurrant and blackcurrant pulls you into this very expressive wine. For all the ripeness, the really striking thing about this is the great vitality, the way it leaps and...

Blackcurrant, pine cone, walnut, crushed gravel and dried flowers on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Sleek and refined. Try from 2023.

Absolute perfection in dry white wine, the 2018 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc comes from two parcels on Hermitage (Les Murets and L'Ermite) and, I believe, spent 30 months or more in new French oak. This heavenly effort offers...

A blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc, the 2010 Angelus has a deep garnet color, with a touch of brick. It erupts from the glass with notes of black cherry preserves, molten chocolate, licorice, and plum pudding...

Glass-staining ruby. An expansive bouquet evokes blue fruit preserves, potpourri and olive paste, and a hint of smoky bacon builds in the glass. A vibrant mineral nuance adds energetic lift to sappy boysenberry...

Readers looking for the next superstar in Bordeaux need to jump on the bandwagon of Les Carmes Haut-Brion, who have produced one of the wines of the vintage in 2016. The 2016 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion checks in as a...

(91-93 points) One new barrel in three. Glowing full yellow with light green tints. Peach, nectarine, yellow plum bit also energy and good acidity, finishing on a mineral fresher feel. Long finish here. Look for a...

(VN 96-98 points) Opaque magenta. Displays an array of fresh red and dark fruit, floral and spice qualities on the intensely perfumed nose, along with building mineral and succulent herb notes. Vibrant and silky in...

Very ripe, but also very fresh red-cherry nose. Bold and generous, as you expect from Pommard, but with gentle tannins on the medium-to full-bodied palate. Only at the finish do they show a hint of the dryness for which...